6 Reminders For When You Stop Feeling Strong

1. Sometimes, people misunderstand what strength really means. Strength doesn’t mean that you’re always in a good mood and never shed a single tear. Strength doesn’t mean that you’re self-sufficient and never need a helping hand. Strength doesn’t mean that you go through life without worries because you can handle anything the world throws at you. Strength means that you keep going, even when it’s hard, even when you feel lost and alone. Strength means you’re still here, still standing, still hoping for better things from your future.

2. Sometimes, staying strong for too long can backfire. Maybe the problem isn’t that you’re feeling weak right now. Maybe the problem is that you’ve felt pressured to stay strong for too long. You’ve been holding in your emotions. You’ve been wearing a brave face. You’ve been acting like everything is perfectly fine and have been going about your days like normal when a million things were wrong. You can’t play pretend forever. Eventually, you were bound to break.

3. Sometimes, the strongest thing you can do is admit you’re struggling. You don’t have to do everything on your own. You don’t have to push other people away in the name of independence. There’s nothing wrong with showing your vulnerability, expressing your emotions, and asking for help. You shouldn’t be ashamed of whatever you’re currently experiencing. Everyone goes through rough times. Everyone hits rock bottom sooner or later. The best thing you can do when you’re struggling is admit that you don’t have all the answers and could use a little help.

4. Sometimes, your weakest moments will make you even stronger in the long-run. You might feel helpless right now. You might feel like everything in your world is going wrong. However, you’re going to get through this in one piece. You’re going to come out even stronger than you were before. And when that happens, you are going to look back and realize how strong you were to survive this pain. You’re going to have a newfound appreciation for yourself once everything is said and done.

5. Sometimes, being honest with yourself is more important than seeming strong to outsiders. You don’t want to live a lie. You don’t want to pretend everything is going well when you’re secretly suffering inside. If you want to get better, you have to be honest about your thoughts and emotions. You have to admit there is a problem and that you need to work toward fixing it. You need to tell the truth, even when it’s so much easier to act like everything is perfectly fine. Remember, real strength isn’t about looking like you have your shit together. Real strength is about being honest with yourself.

6. Sometimes, staying strong isn’t your best option. Sometimes, it’s good to break down in tears. Sometimes, it’s good to open up to your loved ones about what you’re experiencing. Sometimes, it’s good to let your walls come crashing down. Sometimes, giving yourself permission to fall apart is the best way to prepare to build yourself back up again.